College Helps State Protect, Grow Ohio Auto Industry

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Glenn Daehn, professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Ohio Manufacturing Institute, speaks at a Dec. 21 meeting of the Ohio Auto Industry Support Council. (Photo by Greg Sailor)Giorgio Rizzoni, director of Ohio State’s Center for Automotive Research, is leading a working group of the Ohio Auto Industry Support Council, which is meeting today to develop recommendations to state leaders on ways to protect and grow the Ohio automotive industry.

Approximately 90 people representing the auto industry, state government and various other technology support organizations are attending the meeting, which was organized primarily by the Ohio Manufacturers' Association and by Ohio State’s Rizzoni, who is a professor of mechanical engineering in addition to being director of the Center for Automotive Research, and Glenn Daehn, professor of materials science and engineering and director of the Ohio Manufacturing Institute, with support from the Ohio Department of Development and Ohio Board of Regents.

Rizzoni and Eric Burkland, president of the Ohio Manufacturers’ Association, are co-chairing a technology working group of the council, which was established in August by Gov. Ted Strickland. Today the working group will identify research and technology resources in Ohio that lead to the development of new products and processes as well as the retention and attraction of the best engineering talent. Tasks for the technology group will include cataloging resources, conducting a gap analysis, and issuing policy recommendations to the State.

The technology working group also includes the Manufacturing Advocacy & Growth Network, which today announced a collaboration with CAR to generate increased growth and profitability for the motor vehicle and parts manufacturing industry throughout Ohio.

Earlier this year, the Ohio Department of Development designated Cleveland-based MAGNET as the “go to” Ohio Edison Technology Center for the motor vehicle and parts manufacturing industries statewide. MAGNET, now in its 26th year of operation, has helped hundreds of manufacturers in northern Ohio increase their productivity and make enterprise-wide innovation a high priority in client companies. Each of Ohio’s seven Edison Centers is focused on assisting a particular industry sector to address competitiveness issues.

Ohio Department of Development Director Lisa Patt-McDaniel and Ohio Board of Regents Chancellor Eric Fingerhut convened today’s workshop of the Ohio Auto Industry Support Council, which also includes senior executives from leading automobile manufacturers such as Ford, General Motors, Honda, Chrysler and Toyota and auto suppliers such as Goodyear, United States Steel and Eaton Corp.

Editors: For more information, contact Giorgio Rizzoni by e-mail or by phone at (614) 292-5990. For more information on MAGNET, e-mail Greg Krizman, senior director of marketing, or call him at (216) 432-5311.

 

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